Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1887-01-06
MARRIAGE CUSTOMS.
Origin Of Somo OF tho Modern
Fashions.
The rridaI Vail aud the Wedding Ring
Wedding Tavors--Anclent Importance
of the IirIlrmaid-Old Customs
"Comlng In Again.

Coming In" hgain.
III. like the women of Sweden, your
American mothers would train their
daughters In all domestic affairs aS the
most important of their accomplish
monts there would undoubtedly be- less
skepticism in regard 20 what kind Of
wives they would he. The fair SwcdcS
are not considered marriagcable until
they have made with Their own hands
quantit e. of garments 20 he distributed
am ,ng the wedding guests; and they
must also have served their mothers in
all OF the departments Of the household
long enough to become capable of man
aging an establishment of their own.
But at this season. when the church
bells are full of wedding chimes, the
brile-elcet in our land is more inter-
cstcd in the arrangement of the im-
portant event, and what ceremonies
should b. employed TO invest it with n
due amount of style. ami. at the same
time. have il different from the
hackncycl programme Of the one
hundred and one which have preceded
hers. Fortunately, from the present
standpo mt of cstheticism, old, worn-out
fashions are tie newest, freshest and
most 10 be desired. Realizing this,
have cxcava,ed some long-buried GUS
toms. which were in vogue many years
ago, when our great grcat-grandparcntS
wcrc young and charm ne. for the benz
eiii of those who would have something
new.
Among the oldest and prctticSt GUS
tom, ON these occasions were the wed
dns iavors." without which no English
wedding was complete, The lcauty ana
design of these favor> depended largely
on 'hc xii and ingenuity of the BRIDE
ma Il upon whom de, Olvcd the duty of
prcpar ug them. The bride with her
maids Won Il have many consultations
for the purpose OF selecting ncr ''colors'
for the occasion, and much care had TO
b. observed, rs il wa' deemed an insult
20 her guc-tS il these were the same as
those charac,erizng the crest OF IN en-
envy Of any one present After the
momcntous task of choosing the
colors was fin she'd. the bridcma'ds
attcnlcl TO decorating the apart
mcnts with them. and besides made
often thousands OF roscttcS, with
Streamers of the same in rich ribbons
for the wedding guests owcar IN honor
OF the bride. Many were also sent TO
those who didnot witness the ceremony,
and were worn by prince and peasan,
alike, and even ilu,tcrcd from the
horses heads, giving n wonderfully gay
effect to the occasion. The dress of the
bride was covered with favors and RIB
bons inSccurcly attached. so when she
danced during the evening they would
fall and were scrambled for by tho
groomSmcn. who wore them during the
remaining festivities. In some of the
districts OF England custom made it
proper TO present the brides slippers
10 the head groomSmcn. who would fire.
quently show their great regard for the
laly by filling tho slippers with wine
and drinking out of them to her "long
life and happ ness"
The duties of the bridemaid were in
olden times more important than at the
present date. She attended the bride
elect in her shopping expeditions, and
helped direct the Invitations, IL these
were used She also helped TO dress
the happy maiden, and made herself
particularly entertaining 10 the guests
in waiting upon them and put
ting them at ease. II is said that
the bridemlid was often the one who
had the le,t t'mo at welding, and it
frequently happened that she captured
q husband for herself, rs the English
termed II, and IL she did not do this
much she was looked upon a. un-
attractive indeed. Hence the old say
ing: Three times u brdcmaid, never
n bride" An English superstition is
that the maid must throw away oil the
pins used in the br de's toilet. or else
evil fortune would follow her, and she
who kept any OF these need not hope TO
become bride before the following
Whitsuntidc. This is not so popularity
believed. however. as the power OF the
"old shoe" which has been thrown
for Happiness" from timoimmemorial.
In Scotland. as well Us in England. the
old shoe ia thrown over the head of the
happy pair. either when lcav ng church
or the parental roof; and while 1t s now
sad 10 bring good fortune, authorities
differ as to i,s orig nal significance,
whether il was 20 be suggestive OF tho